With the festive season now upon us, we would once again like to call on the enormous generosity of our supporters as we launch our 2015 Christmas Appeal.
With the year coming to a close, there is time to reflect on some of the positive developments that have take place in Sri Lanka over the past 12 months. The defeat of a highly authoritarian regime, the beginning of a process constitutional reform, and the creation of a UN-mandated mechanism to look into war crimes allegations have all provided grounds for optimism.
But, with ongoing serious violations and little change on the ground in the North and East of Sri Lanka, it is clear that whether that change is realised will now depend on ensuring that the Sri Lankan government take seriously the demands of war survivors: to establish the truth about their missing loved ones, to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes, and to put an end to ongoing intimidation by the military and security forces.
Turning the Sri Lankan government’s words into deeds on these matters remains an enormous challenge, one that will require both determined international pressure and the empowerment of those communities most affected by human rights abuses.
That is where we come in. By making a donation to the Sri Lanka Campaign this Christmas, you will enable us to:
- Continue to amplify the voices of war survivors by conducting research (such as this) outlining what is needed to secure meaningful reconciliation.
- Monitor the implementation of the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka and lobby the international community to ensure that its commitments are not watered down.
- Challenge the continued abuse of state power and push for de-militarization, the release of political prisoners and an end to harassment by security forces.
The suggested donation for this year’s Christmas Appeal is £10, but please feel free to give as much or as little as you can afford. You can make this donation as a one-off, or alternately, you can help us campaign even more effectively by setting up a regular monthly donation. Just click here to see all the options for giving. Because we are small, the money you give really does make the difference.
You can also give to the Sri Lanka Campaign while simply going about your Christmas shopping. By using our Amazon Affiliate scheme, we get 5% of everything you spend on Amazon at no extra cost to you. All you need to do is shop via this link.
Additionally, why not check out some gift ideas at the official Sri Lanka Campaign shop? 30% of the total cost of all products sold go directly to the Campaign!
Thank you again for your support. You make our work possible.
The Sri Lanka Campaign